A new study of over 900 women aged 40 to 79 shows that regular sexual activity can reduce menopausal genitourinary symptoms such as pain, dryness, and irritation caused by genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). The cross-sectional study, published on June 25, 2025, in the journal Menopause, found that the proportion of regularly sexually active women decreases with age, as do sexual desire, arousal, and lubrication according to the Female Sexual Function Index. However, orgasm and satisfaction remain stable. Women with regular sexual activity had a lower prevalence of GSM symptoms, which are triggered by estrogen deficiency and can impair quality of life. Only 2.9 percent of participants used hormone therapy, although according to Dr. Monica Christmas of the Menopause Society, local, low-dose estrogen therapy effectively and safely alleviates such symptoms. The study emphasizes the need to address GSM...

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden is offering patients with pancreatic cancer an innovative treatment with the individualized mRNA cancer vaccine Autogene Cevumeran as part of the international Phase 2 study IMCODE003 (NCT05968326). The vaccine, developed by BioNTech and Genentech, targets tumor-specific neoantigens to activate the immune system against remaining tumor cells. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers, with a relapse rate of almost 80 percent after surgery and a five-year survival rate of only 25 to 33 percent despite chemotherapy. A Phase 1 study showed a strong T-cell immune response in half of the treated patients, which was associated with a lower risk of relapse. The current study, which began in October 2023, compares the efficacy and safety of Autogene Cevumeran in combination with the PD-L1 inhibitor Atezolizumab and chemotherapy (mFOLFIRINOX) with chemotherapy alone in patients without prior chemo or radiation therapy and without metastases. Participation is only possible directly after...

On June 23, 2025, the small satellite QUICK³ successfully launched into Earth orbit from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission, with central involvement from the Technical University of Berlin, is testing technologies for eavesdrop-proof quantum communication and conducting a quantum physics experiment in space. The 3U CubeSat, about the size of a shoebox and weighing four kilograms, serves as a technology demonstrator for future quantum satellite systems. Onboard is a quantum light source that generates photons from a two-dimensional material to enable secure data transmission. Quantum communication physically prevents any undetected data access. TU Berlin developed an electronics module for controlling the experiments, storing and transmitting measurement data, as well as a robust mechanical structure that can withstand the rocket launch. Systems engineer Philipp Werner emphasized the challenge of coordinating interfaces between scientific partners and the satellite bus, with TU Berlin playing a connecting role. Project manager Julian Bartholomäus highlighted the use of existing technologies from the TUBIN mission, which allowed for flexible adjustments. The mission...